PLEASE DO NOT MOVE DRYER CLOSER TO REAR WALL. (Part 1)

PLEASE DO NOT MOVE DRYER CLOSER TO REAR WALL. (Part 1)

I believe that says it all.  But you must ask, why. Well. a quick glimpse behind the dryer reveals all (photo below).

There you can see the plastic flexible duct that will crush if the dryer is pushed any further.

It looks like the home owner has used pipe strapping to hold the flex duct up off the floors so it wont be folded over itself or squished side ways like a 'slinky' toy could be.

This ducting is little more than a 'slinky' type coil that has been skinned over with plastic, so it is notorious for folding over on itself, sometimes more than once.

Obstructed: When this happens it is no longer a functioning duct and your dryer is going to take a long time to dry the clothes, basically baking them dry.

The other thing these ducts excel at is collecting lint. Sometimes the barely pass any air for years worth of lint in there. All those ribs make it easy for dust and lint to catch onto.

Now factor in the warm moist air and you have all the ingredients for mold proliferation.  

Lovely!  But that's not the most serious problem.

What? You say, could be more important than the dryer not drying the clothes or creating conditions conducive to mold?

Thats easy: fire! 

Dryers that can't vent, overheat and can cause mechanical failures that will produce sparks. That metal drum spins at a high speed.

Then of course thee's always electrical arcing to set it off. Loose plugs, electrical motor bushings and short faults.

And some dryers are heated with gas. You get the picture.

It should not come as a surprise the fire codes address this problem directly. 

In short, they ban the plastic flexible duct use and require that the first 3 feet from the machine be rigid metal ducting. This will be the hottest zone and will tend to collect the greatest concentration of lint.

Home owners need to install the attachment ducts in such a way so as to make the final connection after the dryer is pushed into place. 

Wise dryer installers will place removable caps and 'T's in appropriate positions to make it possible to open and vacuum lint out of the ducts.

This is something progressive builders will plan for too.

So don't bake your clothes, grow mold or burn your house down for want of a little ducting. Look for part 2 on how to do the duct well.